Mindfulness meditation has extensive, well-researched benefits and can be a helpful preliminary practice on the journey of awakening. But there's a more direct approach, which teaches that awakened awareness is your natural state, your birthright as a human being. Rather than spending years trying to achieve it, you just need to turn your awareness back upon itself to recognize your timeless, limitless, inherently awake essential nature. This recognition has the power to transform your life at every level and bring a peace and happiness that can't be disturbed by the ups and down of life.

In this three-day residential retreat at the Garrison Institute, on the Hudson River about an hour north of New York City, you will receive profound teachings, direct pointers, guided meditations, and focused inquiry that short-circuit the seeking process and invite you to wake up right now, without elaborate rituals or practices. The approach is grounded in the nondual wisdom teachings of Zen, Dzogchen- Mahamudra, and Advaita Vedanta but does not require adherence to any tradition.

The teacher, Stephan Bodian, has been practicing and teaching the direct approach for more than 40 years. Trained for a decade as a Zen monk, he studied for many years with Advaita master Jean Klein and received Dharma transmission from Adyashanti, in a lineage dating back to the historical Buddha. His books include Wake Up Now, Beyond Mindfulness, and Meditation for Dummies.

Tuition for this retreat covers the teachings only. To arrange accommodations, please contact the Garrison Institute (garrisoninstitute.org).